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The Weekly Drop Icons: The History of the Puma Suede

In 1968, Rudolf Dassler and his cohorts concocted a fairly simple idea; an athletic shoe that could be applied to any athletic situation. They weren’t specifically for crossing up an opponent on the hardwood or showing them up on the track, but would eventually be applied to either scenario. It was a training shoe that broke the mold, so they called it the Crack.

The simple combination of a soft suede upper and molded rubber sole would undergo a few stylistic changes – and, thankfully, a name change – but has remained largely unaltered for 50 years while the world has continually changed around it.

When it was rebadged as the Clyde, it was the first ever signature sneaker in NBA history. On court alongside the adidas Pro Model and Converse Pro Leather, it was the revolutionary low-cut basketball shoe long before the Kobe 4. As a warmup shoe equally as effective on the track and the court, it was the cross-trainer decades before Bo Jackson picked up a football (and a baseball ... and a surfboard).

It has been remixed by Rihanna as the best-selling Fenty Creeper, and has been the canvas for collaborations with everyone from Jeff Staple to Karl Lagerfeld.

POST CONTINUES BELOW

After 50 years in the game, the Suede has been a part of protest and progress, which might be why it’s still as relevant as it ever was. Take a look a the full story in the video above, and keep an eye out for the Suede's 50 collaborations to mark the iconic sneaker's 50th anniversary.